Santa Rosa County Archive

Florida lawmakers are locked in one of the most divisive legislative sessions in recent memory, with disagreements among Republicans over property tax policy threatening local government budgets, according to State Sen. Don Gaetz.

Santa Rosa County Commissioners have formally begun the process of negotiating with the U.S. Navy over a potential land leveraging agreement involving Outlying Field Santa Rosa, a move officials say could protect Naval Air Station Whiting Field’s training mission while expanding development opportunities in East Milton.

Sit on a front porch facing Forsyth Street long enough and you’ll see the traffic.

Large trucks breezing by, people speeding and the twice-a-day congregation of cars coming and going from Bagdad Elementary School are fixtures on the main drag through this otherwise sleepy community.

Santa Rosa County invites the public to a Public Alternatives meeting at 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 19 at the Don Salter Community Center, 5976 Chumuckla Highway. The event is to discuss and learn about the Five Points Intersection Project Development and Environment Study. The meeting will offer new information to the public and allow […]

The Santa Rosa County Commission plans to hire Brad Baker as its new county administrator on Thursday.

Northwest Florida is home to quite a few veterans.

In many places, veterans can enjoy designated parking spots but at Santa Rosa County-owned facilities, the only veterans parking spots were for Purple Heart recipients. Other veterans did not have designated parking.

At least not until now.

Santa Rosa County will host a drop-in open house from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 10, at the Santa Rosa County Extension Office, 6263 Dogwood Drive in Milton, to discuss broadband.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has rolled out a new national broadband map and Santa Rosa County residents are urged to validate the accuracy of the information on the map. Challenges to the FCC broadband map are due by Friday, Jan. 13. View the map at broadbandmap.fcc.gov/home.

With the Christmas season behind us, Santa Rosa County Public Works is offering an environmentally friendly way to put those live trees behind us as well as. According to Santa Rosa County Public Works, residents who would like to “treecycle” their tree for mulch may drop off their clean Christmas trees to one of five designated areas in the county by Jan. 15.

These areas are Jay Transfer Station on Transfer Station Road in Jay, Central Landfill at the Household Hazardous Waste facility at 6337 Da Lisa Road in Milton, Pace Fire Rescue District at 4773 Pace Patriot Blvd. in Pace, Navarre Beach Boat Ramp Parking Lot Recycle Area on Gulf Blvd. on Navarre Beach, and Tiger Point Recreation Area in Gulf Breeze.

Construction crews have temporarily shifted eastbound traffic to the westbound bridge over Simpson River. According to Santa Rosa County, the shift is expected to be in place through March 2023.

During this time, there will be two westbound lanes and one eastbound travel lane using the westbound bridge. Due to the traffic shift, there will not be dedicated bike lanes on the bridge.

The Florida Department of Transportation expects eventually to buy and tear down the Whittle Building to make room to expand U.S. Highway 90 through Milton, Santa Rosa County Commissioner Dave Piech reaffirmed Monday.
In the meantime, the county is preparing to lease the vacant, dilapidated former automobile dealership and records warehouse.